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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661728">Looks That Kill</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmeinthe502/pseuds/cmeinthe502'>cmeinthe502</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU season 4, Billy Adults, Billy Hargrove Being an Asshole, Billy Hargrove Lives, Billy Hargrove Redemption, Billy Kicks Neil’s Ass, Bonding Over Bad Parents, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Max and Billy Get Along, Operation Bunny, Original Female Character - Freeform, Search for Hopper, Slow Burn, friends first, new Big Bad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:14:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661728</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmeinthe502/pseuds/cmeinthe502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy is a survivor. Lissa is a runner. A dangerous attraction turns into sharing a fight for freedom. Of course, Billy knows Hawkins wouldn't be the same supernatural sh*thole without throwing a desperate race to stop the apocalypse into the mix. Billy/OC slow burn, drama, action, and humor abound.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Hargrove/Original Character(s), Billy Hargrove/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Step 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The broadcast news intro's staccato beat chimed on the television. Light from the TV painted the walls in the dark living room. Neil Hargrove poured another tumbler of whiskey with an unsteady hand.</p><p>"Welcome to the 10pm edition of Hawkins News. Today, Gwinnett Properties broke ground at the rebuilding site of Star Court Mall amongst protests from the Hawkins community. Star Court, which was nearly decimated by an explosion only months ago-"</p><p>Neil knocked back his drink and leveled the television with a furious glare. Explosion. Probably arson started by his ungrateful-bastard-poor-excuse-for-a-son.</p><p>"Additionally," the news anchor went on. "Hawkins resident and local hero, William Hargrove, received a settlement from Gwinnett Properties just this week after suffering life threatening injuries during the blast. Hargrove spent weeks in the ICU after bravely carrying Jane Hopper, the local police chief's daughter, to safety despite his own injuries. Mr. Hargrove was unavailable for comment when asked about his feelings regarding the impending reopening of Star Court Mall."</p><p>Hero! Ha!</p><p>Perpetrator was more like it, Neil thought acerbically. That boy had been breaking rules since he was in diapers. Neil, a good father, a respectable man, had fought hard to straighten his wayward son out. No child of his should be a troublemaker, a new generation kid full of rock n roll attitude, promiscuity, self righteousness. He should be a family man, live up to his responsibilities and act accordingly.</p><p>Neil hated Billy's behaviors. His inability to be a family oriented young man, his smart mouth, and his weakness. Billy got that all from his mother. And now, the whole town was kissing his kid's ass for his "heroics."</p><p>Neil was jarred from his churning negativity by the front door swinging closed with a muted thud. The runt swaggered in, looking no worse for wear in the aftermath of the organ repairing surgeries and over a hundred stitches. You would think finding himself in that position, most assuredly due to his troublesome adventuring and foolhardy nature, would have put things in perspective for his son.</p><p>Billy barely spared his parent a glance as he made his way behind the couch to go to his room. Neil was struck by the insolence, the audacity, Billy had to ignore his own creator when in the same room.</p><p>"Where have you been?" Neil ground out, jaw set. His head was tilted down, his eyes boring into Billy's. Same blue. Billy's were ice, unaffected by the hurricane swirling behind his father's stare.</p><p>Billy shrugged. "Tommy Hagan's after work."</p><p>"No call? No explanation when you walk into my home? No words for your parent?" Neil listed out, growing momentum. He was seeing red. Adrenaline was pumping.</p><p>Billy turned to his father carefully. "I'm here before curfew." He fought to keep his defiance out of his voice.</p><p>Neil was around the couch in a flash, moving as quickly as the Mind Flayer has swung through the food court in the mall only six months ago. Billy flashed back quickly, his mind melding his father's dulcet shouting with the roars of the creature that almost ended him. Billy felt his fight or flight instinct kick in, and suddenly he was struggling for his life on the tile floor of Star Court, not pinned against the wall by his abusive dad.</p><p>A framed landscape fell from the wall and shattered.</p><p>Billy returned to the present.</p><p>His eyes were on his dad's red face, the bouncing mustache as his father's forearm cut off his air supply. Spittle flew from Neil with the diatribe of acidic words. Neil's fist cuffed him on the side of the head and his skull cracked against the wall.</p><p>The ringing in his ears replaced the bellowing. The scene seemed surreal.</p><p>Max opened her bedroom door, her eyes wide in horror.</p><p>Billy felt as weightless, detached as he did when he was possessed by the Mind Flayer, and a startling revelation heightened his heartbeat.</p><p>He wasn't afraid.</p><p>Billy blinked as Neil shook him by his biceps. He wrenched away from his father, and threw the same punch he had thrown dozens of times in his life, so familiar he didn't even register the movement.</p><p>Neil reeled back, spit blood. His face was so red it was turning purple.</p><p>Max gasped.</p><p>And before Billy knew it, he threw another punch. Then another, then another, and the bastard went down like George Foreman when Ali KO'd him in the 8th Round.</p><p>It took Susan and Max a number of minutes to pull Billy off of Neil after he'd totally lost consciousness. It was finally Max who broke through Billy's trance, looking frightened, awed, relieved, concerned, and scared all at once. "Billy, you'll kill him, you can't, be better than him. You're free now. You're free."</p><p>Billy blinked back tears. He was a hard ass, he would not cry to his step sister.</p><p>In the end, Max helped him pack his things while Susan tended to Neil in the living room. Neil woke up as Billy was closing the trunk on his last box of cassettes. Neil's eye was swollen shut, he had a few nasty bumps and cuts, was missing a tooth. The old man couldn't get off the couch.</p><p>Billy knelt down. Neil spit blood at him.</p><p>Billy smirked. "Now you listen to me, you stupid son of a bitch. That was a lesson in respect, and responsibility," Billy bit out. "One that I will not lose any sleep over repeating. If you lay a hand on either of them," he gestured to Susan and Max. "If you even SHOUT at Max," Billy's eyes looked crazy. "Next time I will not stop."</p><p>He leaned over his dad. "Now say you understand."</p><p>Neil nodded.</p><p>"SAY IT!" Billy roared. His hair was sweaty, disheveled, hanging in his eyes. His eyes were wild. His shirt was bloody, this time not his own. He looked unhinged.</p><p>Neil stuttered. "I understand."</p><p>Billy climbed up, nodded at Max. "I'll see you soon. I'll come find you with my new number and address."</p><p>He whirled on Susan, who cowered,like her husband wasn't the deranged one in the family. "And you - you better keep her safe, or you'll answer to me."</p><p>Then he was out the door like a hurricane in leather, kicking up gravel and grass in his Camaro.</p><p>Max could not wait to tell Lucas what a badass he was.</p><p>—</p><p>As Billy fled Cherry Lane in the Camaro, Melissa Mays (Lissa, puhlease) passed the Hawkins city limits for the first time in three years. With a grimace she realized her hometown was all that was left for her now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Billy goes to college?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Billy slid into the Linear Algebra 111 classroom about thirty seconds before the professor stood to commence the lecture. His usual seat in the back row (for the first two classes, at least) was occupied by some still-pimply guy wearing last year's sweatshirt from the high school the next county over. The kid noticed Billy's menacing glare and visibly gulped. Geek.</p><p>This left him no choice but to slide into the only remaining seat, second row, next to a blonde with Kelly Kapowski hair and pretty golden skin. Not totally an inconvenience. To Billy's fervent amusement, the female population of the class sighed audibly in disappointment. He still had it.</p><p>"Hey," he whispered, calling up a 200 watt smile. Her legs were crossed in his direction. Long, tan legs, delicious thighs. She was in good shape.</p><p>She glanced over, raised an eyebrow. Straightened her black denim vest and he caught an eyeful of cleavage and a glimpse of her long baby pink nails. "Yeah?"</p><p>"You got a pencil? Miss...?" Commence puppy dog eyes. "Don't think we've met. I would've remembered."</p><p>Her green eyes narrowed. "It's Lissa," she grabbed a pencil out of her bag and passed it over. Her attention went right back to the board.</p><p>Billy flipped open his notebook, jotted a couple of lines down. Never one for notes before, he still didn't take many. He wasn't exactly sure why he was here. He didn't think college or this shitty town were for him, but after surviving being flayed and impaled Billy received a whole new perspective on life. He was still angry, he was still gruff and sarcastic and wild, but he was living on his own terms. He graduated with a B average (thanks to standards set by an abusive parent), got a couple of jobs, and took off after Neil tried to kick his ass one last time. Neil, when compared with a monster the size of a shopping mall, was laughable. Billy no longer felt fear.</p><p>Though he finally worked through (some) of his own damage, and attained a small amount of freedom, he hadn't been able to leave Max behind. He figured he could last a couple more years in Hawkins until she graduated and got away from her step dad. Then he was using his savings and whatever kind of degree he could get his hands on to high tail it back to California. To do what? Who knows. Live normally away from this supernatural shit hole, for one.</p><p>Billy often worried Max was unsafe, tried to make sure he checked in on her often. Between her band of troublemaking friends and Neil, she needed the extra set of eyes. They didn't get along, still, but they had reached an understanding.</p><p>As the class neared its end, the professor handed out the last assignment. Blondie visibly wilted when she received hers, a stark red B standing out in the top corner. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, frowning at the paper.</p><p>"Lis, was it?" Billy prodded, leaning back in his seat, lazily catching her gaze from the side.</p><p>She leveled him again with an unaffected stare. She started packing up her things. Their classmates were starting to bustle through as they received their grades, most grumbling that they were lower than expected. "Lissa... but yeah?"</p><p>"You bummed about a B, Liss-ah? Most people wouldn't care," he over pronounced her name, she grimaced. It was cute.</p><p>She stood, tossing her bag over her shoulder. She had on the shortest shorts he'd seen in Hawkins. Billy was a huge supporter of these shorts. Someone should get a thank you note.</p><p>"I'm an A student," she shrugged, frowning again as she noticed him checking her out. She had a soft accent, somewhere down south. Spoke a little slower than most people around here. "I'm just not great at math."</p><p>He brightened. Hit her with the 100% average, never failed Billy Hargrove combo: licked his lip, slow smile, low, suggestive eyes. "Well," he stood, straightening up. Women like tall and broad. "You're in luck. I am," he played it off like he wasn't being arrogant. "Good at math, and a great tutor. Always here to help teach a pretty girl, you know?" Light wink. "So, study date?"</p><p>This got a smile. She had perfect lips. Pouty, plump. But that smile hit him right in the gut. His pulse actually sped up a little bit. She had dimples.</p><p>She laughed, a little exhale, then shook her head. "Sorry, I just don't know how much help you would be. Thanks anyway."</p><p>Billy blinked. Rejection.</p><p>He had a weird feeling, didn't know what to say for a moment. The prof dropped his paper off last. "Nice job, Mr. Hargrove. The highest score in the class, actually," Sweater-Vest-and-Glasses noted.</p><p>Liss-ah's jaw dropped, ever so slightly. She exhaled a laugh again, shook her head, and headed for the door.</p><p>Billy hung back, watching her hips sway.</p><p>"Just let me know what works for you, study partner!" He called out behind her confidently. Fuck a thank you card, whoever made those shorts was getting a fruit basket.</p><p>—</p><p>Melissa Mays (Lissa, puhlease) tossed her bag in the front seat of her car, a flashy 70s model Chevelle she got as a hand-me-down from her dad when she turned 16. It was a few years older now but he kept things nice. It felt a bit ostentatious, but Lissa didn't see her dad much when she was in Hawkins. He had the tour, and her mother and Alan hated dad. This car was like having a piece of him with her. A piece of her old life in Georgia, which she was already starting to miss.</p><p>She watched Math Hot Guy get in a blue Camaro (of course his car was hot too) and peel out of the parking lot of the community college (of course he did).</p><p>He was sinfully attractive for this town. She was born here and she new Hawkins didn't make boys like that. Voice like sex. Those jeans, the blue eyes, the perfect curl over his forehead? Definitely not a townie. Definitely hard to resist.</p><p>Lissa didn't date.</p><p>Lissa was NOT going to date.</p><p>She was keeping her head down, returning to the same old perfect Lissa that everyone in Hawkins knew. Straight A's, work, dance, family time. One college class on Tuesday and Thursday each semester instead of last period at Hawkins High. No boys, no parties, no trouble this time.</p><p>At least that's what she's telling herself.</p><p>Fate might have another plan.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anyone reading this? Please review!</p><p>————-</p><p> </p><p>Karen Wheeler fanned herself with her romance novel, finding it did nothing to combat the heavy, sticky air and the sweltering sun directly overhead. This heatwave was like nothing she could remember from her lifetime in Hawkins, especially for late August.</p><p>The city pool was packed. The entire town was crowding in, trying to find some relief from the heat. She was perched on her regular lounge chair sunbathing with friends... and waiting patiently for the Sunday show.</p><p>Billy. Hargrove.</p><p>He'd been absent from Karen's daily life all fall and winter, recovering from injuries. However, he definitely wasn't absent from her thoughts. This summer, Billy's swagger had returned with a vengeance, and he seemed to be determined to tempt Karen Wheeler. He had even bought a motorcycle.</p><p>Karen's designer watch hit 12pm, and right on cue, Nicole Sanders climbed down from the lifeguard chair for shift change. Every woman over 13 years of age watched for the locker room door to swing open.</p><p>Swing it did, knocking into the wall with a thud as Billy strode out like the scorching concrete was his own personal runway. He was all dark blonde curls and eyes like ice, and a sinful half smile. He rocked the lifeguard uniform, his red shorts fitting like a second skin. She shamelessly checked out his tight abs, broad shoulders, and the expanse of deeply tanned skin on display.</p><p>Karen could hear the hearts breaking as he passed every female, until he arrived... at her.</p><p>"Hi, Karen," he said simply.</p><p>"Billy!" she felt her face flush, and threw a look at Sally Anne, who was gaping at the next chair over. Karen hurriedly pushed herself up from the chair, sighing with mixed feelings (delight, embarrassment) as Billy offered a hand to help.</p><p>Taking his hand, (calloused, warm, rough, delicious) she pulled hers away as soon as she was steadier on her feet. She moved farther from prying ears and Billy followed, stopping so close to her she could feel his breath.</p><p>"H-how have you been?" Karen asked, eyes alight with anticipation.</p><p>He smiled slowly, lazily, letting his eyes travel down and then back up her body. "Just fine, seems like you are also. I just wanted to say, I hope we can reschedule those lessons this summer. I noticed your form looked a little -" he paused, tilting his head and giving her bedroom eyes. "Stiff. I think I could work it out. You know, stretch you a little."</p><p>Karen warmed and felt nothing short of a shot of lust. "Oh-"</p><p>Before she could respond, Karen's own little world was interrupted by an incredulous "*Aunt* *Karen*? and Hot Math Guy?" And it seemed like many things happened at once.</p><p>Karen Wheeler jerked to the side, looking guiltily at Melissa Mays, her eighteen year old niece. Melissa raised her eyebrows and set her jaw, her heart shaped face showing a mix of surprise, slight disapproval, and a little amusement.</p><p>"Melissa!" Karen said breathlessly, caught off guard. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>Billy tilted his head again, and Karen watched him take stock of the absolute knockout. The teen was dressed, Karen notes with chagrin, in the shortest pair of cut offs she had ever seen, and a tiny crop top. Her figure was perfect.</p><p>Melissa met Billy's gaze with a bored appraisal, starting back with parted, pouty lips, and if it was possible the heat went up another ten degrees.</p><p>Holly positively shrieked in excitement, running behind Melissa and throwing her arms around Billy, and the tension amongst the three broke.</p><p>"Hi Billy I can't wait til SWIMMING LESSONS!"</p><p>Six year old Holly shared a crush with her mom. How cute. Lissa smirked.</p><p>"I had dance today with my cousin Lissa, it was so fun. But not as fun as your class!" Holly chatted enthusiastically. She blinked up at Billy with big eyes.</p><p>"Hey little lady!" Lissa snipped, pouting. A soft southern accent honeyed the words.</p><p>Billy chuckled. "The ladies love me," he shrugged. He crouched down to six year old level, locking Holly's gaze of adoration. "You can tell me all about it on Wednesday, pretty girl. I think I heard your friends playing a game by the shallow end, better go catch up."</p><p>"Ok, bye Mom, bye Lissa!" Holly took off like a streak, then screeched to a slower pace at Billy's "Hey, no running at my pool!"</p><p>"Melissa, how was she?" Karen asked awkwardly.</p><p>"She was great, Aunt Karen," Lissa's straight, long hair swished from side to side as she looked between Hot-Lifeguard-and-Math-Guy and her middle aged aunt.</p><p>"Billy," Karen suddenly grounded herself. "This is my... sister's daughter," she introduced, unable to being herself to utter the aging term 'niece.' "Melissa is back from two years in Georgia with her father, just in time for her last year in high school. She's been back and forth for a while, but she was born right here in Hawkins."</p><p>Billy hit Lissa with his most charming smile, his most seductive eyes. "Well, nice to meet you again, Lissa from Georgia."</p><p>Lissa laughed a little, rolling her eyes. "Likewise, I'm sure. And Billy is...?" She prompted Karen, who paused. "The lifeguard?" Lissa supplied shamelessly. It was hateful to tease her aunt, but Karen was basically panting over someone about 20 years her junior.</p><p>Karen blinked. "Yes, the lifeguard."</p><p>"And the mechanic," Billy added boastfully. "In case you're in need of a tune up under the hood." Wink. How the hell did he make that sound like innuendo? "Clearly good genes run in the family here, ladies."</p><p>"Oookay," Lissa drawled. "Gotta get back, see you around Aunt Karen, Lifeguard Guy." She waved half heartedly, desperate to get away from whatever she'd walked up on.</p><p>"Billy, babe. You're gonna want to remember that!" He called after her again. "Right, gotta get up here, duty calls," Billy said, staring after Lissa while he played with his whistle. "Later, Mrs. Wheeler."</p><p>He never even looked at her, Karen simpered. His eyes were glued to Lissa's retreating ass.</p><p>—</p><p>When she got to her parking spot, Lissa turned around and linked her hands through the chainlink fence enclosing the community pool.</p><p>Billy blew his whistle aggressively at some chubby kid. "Hey DUMB DICK, I know you need the exercise but what did I tell you about RUNNING at my POOL?"</p><p>She laughed out loud. What a douche.</p><p>He heard her laugh and turned around. "Thought you were on your way out?"</p><p>"Catching the local show," she shrugged, checking him out. The abs on this guy were yummy.</p><p>"Nothing local here," he corrected, coming to his side of the fence. "California and can't wait to get back."</p><p>"Scam on the moms in Cali too?" She teased.</p><p>He didn't even look embarrassed, just smiled wolfishly. "I occasionally crave a more experienced tier of company."</p><p>"I'm sure the Grannies love you," she supplied sardonically. Tom Petty started playing over the pool sound system. She couldn't help swaying a little. "Experienced doesn't always equal old, you know," she teased shamelessly, quirking an eyebrow with a challenging tilt of her head.</p><p>He pounced, blue eyes shining and going straight to her body. He was leaning his weight against his hands on the fence, looming up over her. "God I hope so. I have doubts. Let's settle them together."</p><p>She laughed again. "What's the scar from? Car accident?"</p><p>He clammed up a little. "Mall explosion," tersely. "How are you in my college algebra class if you're in high school?"</p><p>"Dual credit, obviously," she looked him straight in the eye. "I'm a smart girl, remember? Much too smart for your games," she exaggerated a pout and fluttered her lashes.</p><p>His voice hit low, nearly a growl. "You haven't even seen my game yet," he said heatedly, his face coming close to hers through the aluminum. Lissa felt like the pool and the kids and the noise all faded away, and it was just the two of them. "Take my number."</p><p>She shook her head, her damn near waist length hair brushing back and forth near the small of her back. "Then give me yours," he said. "Don't be scared, babe. It's all, you know, an intellectual bond."</p><p>Lissa rolled her eyes. "No can do, babe."</p><p>"Good girls can be bad, too," Billy basically pouted.</p><p>"I'm the bad kinda good, Billy," she winked. "You just gotta trust me."</p><p>"Come on, breakdown, go ahead and give it to me," he quoted the Tom Petty song salaciously.</p><p>Another giggle and she was pushing herself off the fence with a flip of that pretty hair. Billy smiled - actually smiled - she was fun, and light, and perfectly in time with the music.</p><p>She was struck by his smile again. "See ya around, Hot-Lifeguard-Guy."</p><p>Billy had her body memorized by the time she got to her hot little car.</p><p>—</p><p>Linda Carson finished clearing the plates from the table of local teens celebrating their first week as high schoolers. Dustin, Mike, Will, and Lucas had been coming to her diner for pie all their lives, and Linda couldn't believe this generation was already starting at Hawkins High.</p><p>They had two additions to their party. A redhead who had some boy name, and a dark haired girl with a letter for her name. Linda couldn't keep up with new faces (with the exception of Billy Hargrove, what a looker).</p><p>"Any news on the Bunny Project?" Max asked the boys, leaning her skateboard against the seat and digging into her milkshake.</p><p>El looked forlorn and tucked into her pie. Extra whipped cream. Reminded her of Hopper.</p><p>"No, nothing," Mike sighed. He glanced at El through the corner of his eye. "Not since El thought she saw-" El's eyes snapped up and he backtracked quickly. "Not since El *saw* him. There aren't Russians working on rebuilding the mall. The gate is closed to the Upside Down. No leads."</p><p>"Not in the Upside Down," El said. "Not the same."</p><p>Max listened to El intently. "What else would there be, other than the Upside Down, El?"</p><p>El sighed. "Not sure. Just feel it," she shrugged. "Something is coming."</p><p>—</p><p>Linda bid the Party farewell, busying herself with busing tables and serving up milkshakes. The diner was extremely busy. It seemed like everyone in Hawkins needed a cool treat to combat the 100+ degree heat looming over the town. This heat wave just wouldn't quit.</p><p>The bell over the door chimed as a new guest walked in, dressed all in black despite the heat. Longer black jacket, black hair slicked back, curling up at the ends under the nape of his neck. Pale skin, eyes like flint, so dark you couldn't see where the pupil ended and the iris began. Narrow nose, cheekbones that would cut glass.</p><p>The door closed slowly, and as the newcomer made his way to the counter the lights flickered and the air conditioner cut off. A huge consensus of groaning and grumbling arose from the bustling dining room.</p><p>Linda greeted the dark dressed young man. "Hello, dear, something to cool you off?"</p><p>"Coffee, please," he requested with an air of someone who was accustomed to being waited on.</p><p>She raised a brow. "Cream or sugar?"</p><p>"No, thank you."</p><p>Linda poured the coffee, sliding it to the outsider. "Never seen you around, are you new in town?" She asked congenially. Linda was chatty, to be put mildly.</p><p>He nodded. "I am. I've come a very long way."</p><p>"To land in Hawkins?" She asked, surprised.</p><p>"There's something here I intend to retrieve," he said simply.</p><p>Linda nodded. "I see. Well, I'm Linda, I've worked here about 2 decades now. Let me know if I can help with anything.</p><p>"Thank you, Linda," he said. "You can call me Garth."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Billy sighed in defeat.<br/><br/>He was, proudly, a hard man to bring down.<br/><br/>In fact, an interdimensional, building-sized monster had given it his absolute best shot in this exact food court.<br/><br/>But that interdimensional monster had nothing – nothing – on his teenage stepsister and her freaky little telekinetic mind reader sidekick.<br/><br/>Billy was disgusted. Disarmed. Disappointed, if you will.<br/><br/>His resolve had crumbled, totally, when faced with the Twin Terrors singing (singing!) the Outfield in his tiny apartment kitchen, dancing around and turning identical pleading looks for a ride to the edge of town so they could shop.<br/><br/>Honestly, he would have done anything to get them to stop butchering Your Love.<br/>And that apparently translated to him being saddled with chauffeuring the Weird Sisters to the grand reopening of the StarCourt Mall, on his afternoon off. <br/><br/>What if he’d been sentimental? Had PTSD? These little shits did. Not. Care.<br/><br/>Because there was a fucking Wet Seal.</p><hr/><p><br/>Lissa clocked out from her first shift at Victoria’s Secret, throwing her bag over her shoulder and high tailing it out of Panty Purgatory. She made a detour to Scoops Ahoy on the way to the car for a sweet, cool treat – the heatwave was still going strong. She was pleasantly surprised to find Billy <br/><br/>Hargrove straddling a chair backwards, muscled forearms resting on the table in front of him. A wicked smirk graced his lips.<br/><br/>She got in line, offering a small wave.<br/><br/>Billy threw a straw wrapper at her when she did not say hi.<br/><br/>Lissa laughed. “Hi? Are you here by yourself?”<br/><br/>He shrugged, smirk growing even larger. “I am right now.”<br/><br/>She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Appears your fan club is just outside if you need some company,” she gestured to Tina Wilson and Courtney Clarke leaning against the white tile of the shop’s entrance, eyeing Billy hopefully.<br/><br/>“I’m waiting on my stepsister. I gave her a ride. Stumbled upon an opportunity I just could not pass up,” he smiled, nodding at the counter. Steve Harrington was working his last shift at Scoops Ahoy, looking like a total dillhole in his uniform. He had recently started selling cars at an auto lot in Hawkins, but still started training the new hires at the ice cream shop to help out his old manager. Billy knew this from the diatribe of gossip shared between Max and Eleven.<br/><br/>“Oh, right, checking out Steve Harrington in his captain costume,” Lissa mused, nodding in solidarity. “Very cute.”<br/><br/>Billy’s smile dropped immediately, and she laughed again. “Stop torturing your frenemy.”<br/><br/>“What is a frenemy? Billy asked incredulously.<br/><br/>“You know, part friend, part enemy?” She supplied. “I hear ya’ll have been bonding. Used to hate each other, working on your relationship and all that.” She blinked innocently.<br/><br/>Billy looked horrified. “No.”<br/><br/>Lissa started to tease, but her words fell off as the lights flickered in the ice cream shop. The electronic hum of the air conditioners and refrigeration whirred off, falling into an odd silence as the mall patrons became the only background noise. Lissa’s green eyes searched around, patiently waiting for the power to return, but after a moment she gave up. “Mall’s closed?”</p><p>He ran a hand through his unruly curls, standing up quickly and scanning their surroundings. Lissa took a moment to appreciate his arms and shoulders on display, tank tops and tight jeans worked for him.<br/><br/>Billy felt an uneasy sense of déjà vu, this situation running some disturbing parallels to his last visit to StarCourt Mall. Steve Harrington came to meet them from behind the counter, pulling off the dopey sailor’s cap. His face mirrored Billy’s suspicion and concern.<br/><br/>“Hey, Steve,” Lissa greeted her childhood friend with a quick hug. Billy glared. “You look stressed.”<br/>Steve played it off. “Generators should be on by now. You should head out, Lis,” he warned. “This is what happened last year. Who knows if the rebuilding team was safe?”<br/><br/>Lissa furrowed her brow. “They passed the opening inspection from the state. I’m sure it’s an electrical issue.”</p><p>“Hargrove,” Steve greeted tersely. “What are you two doing here?”<br/><br/>“Harrington,” Billy returned, voice low and gravelly.</p><p>Lissa rolled her eyes again.<br/><br/>“Max and El are shopping,” Billy forced himself to volunteer. “I’m going to look around for them.”<br/><br/>Steve nodded, intently. “I’ll help you look after I get the kids behind the counter out of here.”<br/><br/>Billy’s eyes reflected surprise for a fleeting moment, but he stuffed his instincts and accepted the offer. To his chagrin, the blonde bombshell he’d been flirting with followed him to the atrium of the food court. The light from the skylights hit her just right, accentuating the dimension of color in her hair and the golden tan of her skin.<br/><br/>“Where you going, Jailbait?” He asked, jerking a thumb to the front door. “You should head out. Weird shit happens in this town, don’t want you to get hurt.”<br/><br/>Lissa rolled her eyes. “One – you’re like barely older than me, don’t call me ‘jailbait’ unless I’m actually getting you in trouble,” she said with disdain, tossing her hair and folding her arms. Billy was amused. “Two – it’s a power outage, ya’ll are overreacting. Who hurt you?” Sarcasm.<br/><br/>Billy let his eyes go cold, set his face with determination and a little bit of a sneer. He was still a master in intimidation, something Miss Lissa Mays had never experienced. “Come talk to me when you’ve had a collapsed lung.”<br/><br/>She wisely stayed silent for a minute, then shrugged. “Fine, have it your way. See you in class, I guess.”<br/>Lissa turned on her heel, nearly running into a guy dressed all in black, exiting the jewelry store. Dark hair, great facial structure. He reached an arm out to steady Lissa, but she had dancer’s grace and recovered on her own easily. Steady on her feet, she met his dark gaze as Billy looked on.</p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Max and Eleven were trying on outfits like Wet Seal was their own personal fashion runway when the power went out, plunging them into nearly total darkness. The girls shared an uneasy glance as they gathered their things, but Max’s blood cooled as the salesgirls fled from the storeroom in a hurry. <br/><br/>They were panicking, yelling about a fire coming out of nowhere.<br/><br/>Max turned to leave, nerves building up in her belly, but El put a hand out to stop her, dark curls tumbling as she shook her head. Max sighed. “Creepy crawly feeling?”<br/><br/>El nodded, closing her eyes and focusing on something far out of Max’s realm of understanding. The fire alarm sounded as the backup generators finally kicked on, breaking the silence of the moment. El steeled herself and walked to the storeroom.<br/><br/>Max sighed. “Of course, we have to go to the burning stockroom. Why wouldn’t we?”<br/><br/>The freshmen girls peeked around the doorframe hesitantly, their faces popping into the off-limits space in sync. Orange and black smoke wafted in the distance, devoid of the billowing clouds Max expected to see. The air was stifling around them, and Max felt sweat start to collect quickly on her <br/>body. It smelled acrid around them, but not as suffocating as she would have imagined.<br/><br/>She and El locked eyes – this was no normal fire.<br/><br/>They made their way into the caverns of the mall stock area, weeding through 4 way hanging trees and discarded mannequins. The ceilings were high here, dimly lit, and Max could see an orange glow a few yards in the distance, in another storage room.<br/><br/>They approached carefully, and it took Max’s brain a minute to translate what her eyes were seeing. The creature before her was shaped like an animal, four legs, but seemed to be formed from ash. It was the size of an ox. Red eyes glowed, flames rose from holes that seemed to be burned through the sooty skin. Embers fell on the floor as the burning creature moved – it didn’t look to be on fire, but more that the fire was coming from the beast, entirely surrounding and consuming it.<br/><br/>Max almost didn’t dare to breath, but it was too late. The helldog knew the girls were there.</p><hr/><p> <br/>Billy snapped into action as the fire alarm started screaming and scared salesgirls flew past him as fast as their high heels would take them. The remaining people in the mall reduced entirely to pieces, shouting about fire and evacuating.<br/><br/>They stampeded for the exit.<br/><br/>Billy pushed through in the opposite direction.<br/><br/>“Billy!” He heard Lissa’s concerned shout behind him, but he didn’t turn around.</p><hr/><p><br/>Max was afraid and looked to El for direction. Eleven stared at the Helldog, then placed a raised a hand and blasted it against the concrete wall.<br/>It burned a groove the size of its body into the cement and bounced back.<br/>And it was angry. Huffing, it dragged a hellish, burning paw onto the ground and leaving smoking claw marks behind. The creature bounded toward El. <br/><br/>She blasted it again, and the creature reared and rushed once more.<br/><br/>Panicking, Max picked up a stapler and hurled it at the burning creature. El leveled her with a look that screamed “that was stupid.”<br/><br/>Max didn’t stick around to watch the creature’s head swing in her direction, instead booking it toward the door. El was able to throw the creature into the main showroom of the store once he was positioned in front of the storeroom door, which slammed closed behind them with a thud as El followed it out.<br/><br/>Max ran to the door and tried to open it – they could try to find a way to the front through the catacombs of the mall storage – but the door wouldn’t open. The metal of the frame was melted and molded to the door.<br/><br/>The animal was pawing again, ready to pounce, and Max realized she was trapped against the wall. El’s nose was pouring blood now as she hit the hellhound with every ounce of brain power she could muster. The two girls cowered together as the hellhound came at them again.<br/><br/>Suddenly, the creature was thrown off track as a metal rod from a display slammed into its massive side, pushing him a couple of feet to the left. The metal rod swung again, accompanied by an almighty ROAR of effort from the man wielding the metal like a weapon.<br/><br/>Max saw the animal turn on her stepbrother and she cried out, breaking his concentration. The animal launched at Billy, snapping his flaming jaws and just barely missing his arm. Billy swung again, roaring out, “Hey ELEVEN some help would be appreciated!”<br/><br/>Eleven and Billy worked in tandem to fight the creature, Billy laying into it like he was wielding a baseball bat after El knocked him down. Their concentration broke as Steve ran in with a battle cry, brandishing a fire extinguisher of all things, high hair flowing behind him with incredible bounce. Max’s eyes widened as Steve let the fire extinguisher spray, eliciting a snarled cry from the Hellhound. <br/><br/>A pretty girl slid into the room, eyes wide and staring at the creature in horror. In her hands, she held the partner to Steve’s fire extinguisher- the fire ax that was stored right next to it in case of emergency.<br/><br/>Billy held out a hand and the teenage girl tossed it to him as the creature stood up, violently snapping his jaws.<br/><br/>Billy planted the ax firmly into the creature’s neck without a second thought, the muscles in his shoulders rippling with the effort. The axe slid clean through.<br/><br/>The Hellhound crumbled into a pile of ash.<br/><br/>The group of teenagers stood in silence for a minute straight, surrounded by the aftermath of their battle. Finally, Steve turned the fire extinguisher on the clothes and areas that were set aflame during the fight.<br/><br/>Max looked at the blonde girl, who looked to be similar in age. “Welcome to hell.”</p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Billy set his jaw as he verbally ripped into Max and El, leading the way for the group to exit the mall. He was front and center, keeping an eye out for any other Hellhounds, ax in his powerful hands at the ready. Harrington was bringing up the rear, and pretty Lissa was between the two younger girls, an arm around each. <br/><br/>“I don’t know what the fuck made you two think it was a good idea-“<br/><br/>“Billy! El is LITERALLY a superhero!” Max argued. “She’s morally obligated!”<br/><br/>“YOU are NOT! You are a teenage girl and you can’t even properly throw a punch! What are you going to do in a dangerous situation, SARCASM something to death?!” Billy shouted.<br/><br/>Despite the distracting yelling, El took Lissa’s hand and spoke in her quite way. “Friends take care of friends.”<br/><br/>“Right Liss,” Steve ran to catch up as they neared the exit. “This is a lot, but I’ve known you since you were in pre-school. This gets easier.”<br/>Liss blinked. “Easier? That apparently interdimensional travelling monsters exist, and I’ve somehow surrounded myself with people who have a pension for finding the trouble?”<br/><br/>“Well,” Steve paused. “Yes. But we win!”<br/><br/>Billy scoffed. “You’re delusional, Harrington. This place is a supernatural freak show, your best bet is to drive as far as you can in the other direction. It never gets easier,” Billy’s blue eyes bored into Lissa’s confused gaze. “You just adapt to knowing the truth the best you can. But you still feel like you’re losing your fucking mind half the time.”<br/><br/>“I already felt like that,” Lissa said, crestfallen. “I came back here to simplify things.”<br/><br/>“Nothing simple here,” Billy shrugged. He shoved the doors to the mall open, and the group stepped out into the bright sun. Firetrucks and police cars surrounded the building, personnel darting around in a frenzy trying to regain order. Press was gathered on one side, interviewing mall employees and officers. Everyone stopped as the soot covered group of young people stood front and center, armed with an ax and a fire extinguisher.<br/><br/>Cameras flashed immediately as a clammer rose up from the crowd.<br/><br/>“Mr. Hargrove! Billy!” A reporter for the local news called out. “Have you heroically battled the StarCourt fire, risking your life yet again for local shoppers?”<br/><br/>Lissa snorted in disbelief as Billy turned on the charm. <br/><br/>“My fans await. Everyone get some rest. Come by the apartment tomorrow at noon. We need a plan.”</p><p> </p>
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